New Student Orientation

The incoming class of 2025 at Orientation Fall 2025 Orientation class photo

Aloha and welcome new student to the New Student Orientation program! New Student Orientation is filled with fun activities all designed to create connections with other new students, with our amazing UH Hilo faculty, and with numerous campus resources and the awesome staff that run them. We invite you to immerse yourself in the vibrant spirit of our university's culture and traditions during New Student Orientation. By participating in our program, you'll cultivate a strong sense of belonging and place, forging lasting bonds with fellows students, faculty, and staff that will accompany you throughout your journey at our university.

Fall 2026 New Student Orientation (NSO) opens for sign up on Friday May 1st, 2026 and will be open until Friday August 14th, 2026. NSO will be on Wednesday August 19th-Thursday August 20th-and Saturday August 22nd. Friday August 21st is the Hawaiʻi Statehood Holiday. The schedule of activities will be available in August. If you have questions about NSO, please email uhhnso@hawaii.edu and our Vulcan Orientation Staff will follow up.

A portion of your New Student Engagement Fee secures your participation in New Student Orientation!

New Student Orientation is open to UH Hilo freshmen and transfer students of all class standings. There’s a little bit of everything for everyone. The Vulcan Fall Orientation program is on Wednesday August 19th, Thursday August 20th and Saturday August 22nd. Friday August 21st is the Statehood Holiday and spans into the first week of instruction with Vulcan'Ohana Week of Welcome.

Fall 2026 Schedule of Activities Coming in August

Wednesday August 19, 2026 (Students and ʻOhana)

Thursday August 20, 2026 (Students Only)

Saturday August 22, 2026 (Students Only)

You may want to review Frequently Asked Questions asked by new students about Orientation.

Getting here…

When should I arrive?

If you are living on campus in the Residence Halls please take time to review the following important dates and rate information.

Airport Shuttle to campus

Airport Shuttle Sign Up will begin in August 2026. This service is free and is a way for us to welcome you to Hilo and into our ʻohana.

What others have said

We always like to assess the programs that we offer so that we can continue to improve the way in which we support the success of our students. Here are a couple of things our students told us last year about their Orientation experience:

97%

“Orientation helped me feel welcomed to UH Hilo”

93%

“Through Orientation I learned about resources and offices on campus”

99%

“Orientation helped me feel better prepared to start my first semester at UH Hilo”

92%

“I would recommend this orientation program to other new students”

Some of our students shared:

"Orientation helped me come out of my shell and meet some people that changed my approach to school completely! It really helped me build community and have a better understanding of how things work around here!”
--Natalie, Biology Major, Fall 2025.

"Orientation was super fun! I was able to learn so much about the resources and amenities available on campus. I was also able to meet lots of new people which made starting school a lot easier! Being from Hilo, I wasn’t sure if attending the orientation was for me, but I’m happy I participated!"
--Bella, Exploratory Health Sciences Major, Fall 2025.

"Becoming a Vulcan Orientation Leader (VOL) opened the door to community on campus. From meeting new faces, to making life long connections. It’s more than a short gig with good pay, it’s an opportunity to connect with so many amazing people within the UH Hilo community."
--Sebastian, Kinesiology Major, VOL Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Fall 2025, Spring 2026.